


Waiting

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Dad!Jason AU [3]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Family, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 19:17:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4112056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason couldn't help but be anxious as he sat in the yard with Damian. After all, Bruce knew now, and it could change everything.</p><p>(Please don't take my son. Please don't take Damian away from me.)</p><p>Or, that time Jason is dubbed a princess, Alfred makes spaghetti and absolutely nothing is decided on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting

**Author's Note:**

> Would take place the same day as [this wee bit](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/post/117646139897/3sentence-prompt-dad-jason-bruce-finding-out). Damian would be about three in this one, and Jason and Dick are an item at this point. Bruce is in a bit of shock about the whole thing, but did insist to take Damian. Dick fought against that, and wouldn’t let it happen, at least right then or until Jason and Bruce talked. Jason holds back at the end, because he mentally psyched himself out with anxieties about the outcome and is exhausted, and because Damian was there. Jason’s not in on the conversation with Bruce because Dick figured he would explode, and the two would fight. And he was not having any of that.

Jason couldn’t help but glance towards the house every few seconds. It’s not like he wanted to be in there, or part of the conversation currently taking place, but he wanted to know when it was done, and Dick had _promised_ he would come find him immediately after.

They’d been ‘talking’ for three hours.

Damian wobbled across the grass, sputtering and blabbering to himself as he pretended to be a dinosaur, and that the bugs flying around them were citizens he was terrorizing.

“Baba watching?” Damian called over his shoulder.

“Always.” Jason responded, looking down with a distracted smile, before returning his attention to the back porch.

He didn’t expect Bruce to take the news well. After all, how are you _supposed_ to react when you find out that your dead son is alive? Or that he’s raising your _other_ son that, oh by the way, you didn’t know about?

There was a reason Jason had been avoiding this confrontation.

A couple, really.

For one, he was still livid. Bruce didn’t avenge him. He didn’t kill the Joker, he didn’t even put him somewhere he could never get _out_ of. The piece of shit was still escaping the asylum, still hurting and murdering those Bruce claimed to protect. He killed Jason, and Bruce did _nothing_ about it.

And Jason understood it, he did. But he thought that maybe, just _maybe_ , Bruce would treat those he loved differently. Would treat those in his family differently, and wreck absolute hell on those who _dared_ to harm them.

But he didn’t, and Jason could only imagine the apathy Bruce might show his newfound youngest. Just thinking about it terrified him. Because Damian deserved better. Damian deserved better than any of them ever got from the Batman, and Jason was going to make sure he got it, no matter what.

“Raaah!” Damian suddenly shouted, bumbling over on his still not-quite-steady feet towards Jason, and latching onto Jason’s left leg. “Baba, gotchu!”

“Ahhh,” Jason mock-yelled, falling to his back. Damian giggled as he climbed his chest and sat there. Jason flopped his arms to the side. “I’m dead!”

“No, you’re not.” Damian assured, tickling at Jason’s arms until he moved, reaching his hands up to hang onto Damian’s waist. “I din’t get you.”

“No?”

“Nope!” Damian nodded. “You beat me. You the hero, so…so you my princess!”

“Of course.” Jason grinned as Damian rolled off, allowing him to sit up. “Because that’s how all stories go.”

And there came the second reason for avoidance.

Jason loved this kid far too much.

He’d loved the kid before he ever snatched him from Talia’s compound. Loved him before this crazy plan even crossed his mind. Loved him when they were struggling, and loved him when they weren’t. He loved him when it was just _them_ , and he loved him even after Dick came into the picture.

To him, Damian wasn’t Bruce’s son. He never was.

Damian was _his_.

And he was so scared, so _petrified_ that if Bruce found out, he would take the child away. He certainly _could_ , he had every right in the world to. But Jason wouldn’t be able to bear it.

So it was easier, living in secret. And Jason would have happily lived out the rest of his days like that.

But Dick insisted. Bruce needed to know. If anything, in case something happened.

And, well, Jason didn’t see a flaw in that logic.

(Especially with how Dick explained it to him. Holding his hands so tightly, whispering his pleas as he stared up at him with more emotion and adoration than Jason could handle.)

Besides, if there was one thing Bruce taught him that ever stuck, it was always have a backup plan. Have _ten_ backup plans.

But still.

He’d rather the Justice League knew at this point, than Bruce.

“Baba.” Damian scolded, reaching up and holding his little tan hands against Jason’s cheeks. “Not paying attention.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Jason tried, leaning forward and kissing Damian’s forehead. It didn’t smooth the crease on the toddler’s skin, and that made Jason look at his watch. It was getting late, and Damian hadn’t had his nap yet.

“Pay attention. Or you fired.” Damian explained as Jason stood. Damian shoved his fingers into Jason’s and began to take off across the yard. “Then Didi is princess.”

“Ugh, please.” Jason drawled, helping Damian stumble up the porch’s steps. “I make a _much_ better princess than Didi.”

“Can we find Didi?” Damian asked softly, releasing Jason’s hand to run up against the sliding back door. He put his hands against glass and pushed with all his might. “He needs to be dragon.”

“I thought _you_ were the dragon?” Jason asked, smirking as he slid the door back. Damian stared at it in surprise, before pouting and smacking it once in annoyance.

“I’m a _dinosaur_.” Damian clarified as if it were obvious, stepping near-royally into the carpeted hallway. “Now I’m a prince. You the princess. So. Didi _has_ to be the dragon.”

“Of course. Silly me.” Jason ticked, closing the door as quietly as he could. “Hey, Dames, where are we going?”

“I dunnoooo.” Damian sang, touching everything he passed. Tables, lamps, picture frames. “But I’m bored. Is Didi done talking to the man?” Suddenly he inhaled, and screamed, “ _Didi!_ Come out, come out, where-ver you are!”

“Not just yet.” Jason murmured, sweeping up behind the boy and tossing him into the air. Damian gave an excited squeal as he came down, latching onto Jason’s neck as he caught him. “But soon.”

“Oh.” Damian sighed. He stared up at the ornate walls and family photos. At the artworks and sculptures and clearly expensive everything, and seemed less than impressed. “Baba?”

“Hm?”

“I don’t like the man.” Damian admitted quietly. “Do I have to?”

“No.” Jason smiled as they sauntered into the foyer. Faintly, somewhere deep in the house, Jason could hear talking. It sounded like Tim, or maybe the one Dick called Stephanie. Regardless, it was someone young, and they were almost instantly cut off by a voice that was clearly Bruce. And he sounded…well. Not happy.

“He’s scary.” Damian continued as they walked down the entryway, voices echoing slightly on the walls. “He made you mad.”

“Not exactly…”

“Are we gonna live here now?” Damian asked abruptly. “’Cause Didi said he did once. Is that why we here? Are we moving?”

“No!” Jason answered immediately. “At least…not as far as I’m aware. We’ll, uh…we’ll ask Didi when he’s done with his meeting.”

“Hm.” Damian glanced back up the walls. “This place is big.” He observed. Jason nodded absently, catching a photo on the wall out of the corner of his eye. It was of him and Bruce, way back when. There was a pang in his heart as he tore his eyes away, as he hurried down the corridor, trying to find the living room.

He didn’t want to think about back then. Didn’t want to think about the last time he’d been in this house. Didn’t want to think about what _happened_ , why he didn’t come _back_ to this house, he didn’t want to-

“Baba?” There were suddenly fingers on his face, sliding through a tear track. “Whas wrong?”

“Nothing.” Jason sniffed, glancing away as he took hold of Damian’s hand. He stopped walking as he wiped at the tears. “Baba’s fine.”

“Okay.” Damian accepted amicably. Jason could see it in his big blue eyes that he was filing the incident into the back of his mind, no doubt to tell Dick about later. The kid was a huge blabbermouth. “Hey. Baba?”

“What?”

“Can we have sper-getti?” Damian asked randomly. Jason furrowed his brow and blinked, trying to switch gears as quickly as the three-year-old did. “I’m hungry.”

“Wha…?” Jason stumbled. Damian stared at him patiently. “Y-yeah sure. I guess. When Didi’s done, we’ll-”

“I have the supplies at the ready in the kitchen,” A voice suddenly sounded from behind them. Jason clutched Damian with both hands and spun around. Alfred stood sheepishly in a doorway on the right side of the hallway. His face was guarded and sad. “That is, if you’re willing to wait a few moments while I prepare it.”

Jason gaped. He’d completely forgotten. For some reason, he thought the butler had been out, that he wasn’t here at all. “Alf-”

“Who you?” Damian demanded. “Go ‘way.”

“No, Damian, this is…” Jason half-heartedly scolded. “Alfred, I didn’t know you were…”

“I wasn’t.” Alfred smiled, stepping forward. “I was out shopping for groceries. Just returned a few moments ago. Heard the two of you speaking.”

“Oh.” Jason breathed. Then he inhaled, shifting the weight in his arms, turning Damian towards the elder gentleman. “Alfie, I want you to meet-”

“Master Damian.” Alfred whispered with a misty smile. “Master Richard has told me so much about you.”

Jason couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Of course Dick would.

“Would you like to help me make the spaghetti?” Alfred asked Damian directly. Damian shrunk away only slightly, lips pursed in a defiant pout. “I could use an assistant.”

Damian stared at him another second longer before turning the gaze to Jason. Jason smiled and shrugged. “If you want to.”

Damian let out a low, thoughtful whine as he turned back to Alfred. “Only if Baba can come help too.”

“I’d like nothing better.” Alfred chuckled, turning back into the doorway. In his pause, there was another shout from the discussion going on somewhere in the house. Damian turned towards the sound, but both Alfred and Jason remained focused on each other. “If you’d both follow me.”

Jason did so immediately, ducking into the spacious kitchen he remembered so well. Alfred immediately set to work, grabbing pots and pans and placing them on the counters. Jason followed suit, placing Damian on the island. “Anything I can do?”

“If you would grab the boxes of noodles from the pantry.” Alfred requested. “I…hope you don’t mind, Master Jason, if we make enough for everyone? I…well, I hope you and…and your family were planning to stay for supper. It’s been so long since everyone was under one roof.”

Before Jason could retort Damian scoffed, in that way that reminded Jason exactly who his mother was, and said, “Well, where _else_ would we eat, Mister?”

The two adults hesitated for a moment before bursting into warm laughter. “Well,” Jason chuckled, pulling open the pantry door. “He’s not entirely _wrong_. But yeah, Alf, you can count us in. Since the cat’s out of the bag and all.”

Alfred hummed as he left the pot in the sink to fill with water, stepping over to stand in front of Damian. The toddler stared up at him innocently as Alfred ghosted his hand over his hair. “It’s a very cute cat, I must admit. Reminds me of…”

Alfred sighed then, patting Damian’s head before turning back to the water. “It’s okay, Alfred.” Jason mumbled. “You can say it.”

“He reminds me of his father at that age.” Alfred finished sadly. “And I know I shouldn’t say that, I know that’s not what you want to hear, because he is your son, and maybe Richard’s too, but it’s…oh lord, Master Jason, it’s just so _obvious_ that he is-”

“Do you think he’ll want to take him from me?” Jason cut off quietly, handing one of the boxes of noodles to Damian to open.

“Potentially.” Alfred admitted. “There’s also a chance he’ll want the two of you to move in.”

“Is there a chance he’ll just leave us alone?” Jason pushed. “Because that’s what I would rather. We have a life on our own, Alfie. A pretty good one, all things considered. And I don’t…I don’t want to mess that up.”

“And I don’t think Master Bruce will be able to let _you_ go again, Jason.” Alfred countered. “Surely Master Richard has explained to you the grief he went through after…well, after what happened.”

“Sure.” Jason shrugged, smiling gently as Damian held the box up between them, top torn so badly some of the noodles fell out. “But this isn’t about me.”

“No. It is about both of you.” Alfred shot back just as easily. “But, this is not a conversation to be having with me. It is a conversation between you and Bruce. And I sense said conversation will not be happening today, so. Pass me the noodles.”

“Yeah, Baba.” Damian shook the box impatiently. “Pass the noodles.”

Jason snorted, rubbing his nose against Damian’s before doing just that. The three fell into a comfortable routine, then, with Jason and Alfred doing most of the cooking, and Damian handing them utensils. At least when he wasn’t using them as musical instruments.

They were just about done, just about to start talking about setting the table when Dick crept in. His eyes looked tired and he was frowning, but neither Jason or Alfred got a chance to ask before he scooped Damian up, making comment about how great everything smelled and kissing Jason’s cheek. It wasn’t long after that Cassandra came in, followed a few minutes later by Stephanie and then Tim.

No one mentioned Bruce. Just jumped into their roles. Setting the table, getting drinks, Tim even offered to make a salad. Everyone was talking and laughing, and Damian was getting passed around like a baseball. The baby didn’t complain, though, and even seemed to enjoy it.

It was like a real family moment.

By the time dinner was more or less prepared, Damian was back in Dick’s arms and fast asleep. They proceeded with the meal anyway, Dick sitting gingerly at the table while Jason brought him a plate. “How _domestic_ of you,” Dick leered, rubbing his hand up and down Damian’s back. Jason just playfully smacked his free arm, turning back to the counter to grab their cups.

And he couldn’t help but freeze.

Bruce stood in the kitchen doorway, Barbara wheeling quietly ahead of him. If Jason thought Dick had looked tired when he came to the kitchen, then Bruce looked damn near _ragged_. His hair was up at all angles, like he’d been pulling at it, and his lips were dry. But more than that, his eyes looked _haunted_ , and they were glued right on Jason.

And that rage had been thrumming under his skin suddenly burst forth. All he wanted to do was punch Bruce in the face. Scream and stab and accuse and prosecute. This man claimed to be a father, claimed to love him, and yet he let him go and die. He let some madman take him and _torture_ him and he did _nothing_ -

And now he’s going to want to take Damian away. Now he’s going to-

“Jay…” He heard Dick whisper behind him, in the sudden hush of the room. Felt a hand brush against his.

And it was gone.

Suddenly, the past didn’t matter.

(At least for right now.)

Instead, he smiled, glanced down at Barbara before stepping back to the counter, and grabbing the two cups of water.

“Come on, old man.” He drawled, throwing a smirk over his shoulder as he set the glasses on the table, dropping into the chair next to Dick. “Your pasta ain’t gonna eat itself.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Other things for Nevolition’s Dad!Jason AU](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/tagged/dad%21jason+au)   
> 


End file.
